I am posting these for anyone who is interested in Dr. Woods' work. I don't have the time nor interest to argue pro v. con. I am waiting until the fifteen month mark to make a final judgment although I'm confident Dr. Woods could have (and would have) done more had Dr. L. Lee Bosley (aka The Butcher of Beverly Hills or Avuncular Satan) and his henchman not butchered me beyond repair. I have extensive donor scarring (think Balloonman and multiply by 1000) and my crown is permanently f'd thanks to 5 scalp reductions. I had 350 grafts on the tip of the widow's peak and 400 in a U shape behind the peak. I had 500 grafts mid scalp and 500 in the worst area of scalp reduction scarring on the top/back of my head. I pre-paid for 3600 grafts but due to scarring Woods could only do 1750 of scalp hair and approx. 350 of chest hair (of which there was very little). I was told to not expect regrowth on the crown until 6-8 months but have had pretty good growth so far. One day I'll think this nightmare is coming to a close and the next I'll think I wasted a crapload of money - such is the life of a butchered freak. Either way I will always have to wear my hair pulled back into a ponytail as the scarring is too extensive to ever fix or cover up with a normal hairstyle. Very little growth in the "Mercedes scar" (scalp reduction) Dr. Gary LeFleur (Bosley SOB working in Atlanta in '92) but Woods said he wasn't expecting much as this area was extensively scarred. I will check back in at 15 months (early March).

Edited: 09/05/2003 at 02:43 PM by Hair Loss Help Moderator

front

compare.

Also, hopefully these pix will dispel the rumor that a Woods' patient can't take a pic that is in focus and correctly exposed.

Looks good. Glad that you got the bad work fixed.

-------------------------
Disclaimer - I am not a physician or an expert and my advice should not be considered medical/expert advice. - If you follow my opinions and/or advice you do so at your own risk.

What the heck. I may as well show you what you get when you go to The Bosley Medical group. Believe it or not they wreaked all this havoc and got approximately 1800 grafts over a two year period back in 92-93 at a cost of $25000 - yes, you read that right - they charged $1,800 per scalp reduction and 25 per graft. The most extensive damage was done by L. Lee himself (who "wrote off" his work at $45 per graft) as he attempted to "repair" the damage done by his minions in Atlanta. But that is a tale for another day.

it makes me sad to see donor scarring like that. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.
Do you have enough laxity to consider scar combining? Jotronic was very pleased with his corrective work by Dr. Wong. It's an extreme measure, but balloon tissue expansion might be worth considering as well. Best of luck to you.

thats the worst scars i have seen. and that too for $25000??
tbone good luck to u, hope u get really good repair work results.

TBone please find yourself a good attorney and seek damages. You deserve it more than anyone I have seen, and you would have a great chance of collecting. It won't fix your head but the money will help you finance all the subsequent repairs you have had to endure. Man I feel for you brother.

TBone, best of luck to you. Your photos look good.

Any person considering Bosley ought to see your scar photos. And to think they were created by a "cosmetic surgeon."

Tbone,

seeing that makes my blood boil. My scar though wide is nothing compared to what you have to deal with. What has happened to you justifies calling the doctors that did it butchers. How could they do that to a man and keep operating? They have no conscious only greed. It def loks like you've thickened up after Woods. Are you taking propecia or Avodart? I have found that so far, after only 2 months of using Avodart, all my transplant hair has gotten thicker. No loss of body hair by the way. This is the first thing I have noticed. If you do have some laxity you may want to consider talking to Hasson and Wong to see if they can reduce your scars. There is a fair chance they can.

Edited: 09/05/2003 at 05:24 PM by Hair Loss Help Moderator

Tbone,

I thought you looked like a normal/good HT recipient UNTIL I saw your last pic of your donor area. Dude, what the Hell did they do!!! Those Evil, Sick, Twisted, Manipulative, Con-Artists/Thieves/Doctors/BUTCHERS!!!! Guys, this is why something serious must be done to pay these dirtbags back.

Tbone, seriously consider tissue expansion as your ticket out of this mess caused by those EVIL people. I think your head will look and feel a lot better if you try this route. I pray that you get restored.

Look at what people like Bolsey and others (IN OTHER BUSINESSES)are prepared to do to be rich. As disturbing as your case is to me and am sure there are others that are also victim to this #$#%. May God punish all this people that had no respect for people outcomes or feeling in order to become rich and famous. The final judge will punish them all!!!
I hope your outcome will allow you to have some kind of closure from this anger and pain that you must be feeling.


Lorenzo

Thanks for the kind words and the righteous indignation - both are appreciated. To answer the questions concerning how I got in this mess I'll give you the short version and perhaps elaborate some time in the future. Started balding as a high school senior, NW4 by 25, went to Bosley in Atlanta at 24 and they couldn't wait to fly me to Beverly Hills to start slashing as they were not performing surgery in ATL yet. In the first biggest mistake of my life (not taking Propecia in 1998 is a close second) I went back to Bosley at 25 and they recommended 1 scalp reduction and 300 grafts which would be "discounted" to about $21 per graft (don't quote me on any of this as it has been a long time and I'd just as soon forget it.) They said the total would be $9,000. After the SR stretched back they recommended another and more grafts. $14,000. Then another and another (due to shock loss) and more grafts to replace the ones that never grew to begin with. Cha-ching - $25,000 later I had a horrendous SR scar and very little growth. It was a two years later and I looked significantly worse - I mean those callous b@stards kept doing 250 grafts at a time (new scar each time) while also doing a scalp reduction which pulled the sutures apart. I'll stop now as I could go on forever (and subsequently go mad in the process) but suffice it to say I have been f'd by every doctor who said he would "fix" me in the years since w/ the exception of Woods. I can assure you I'm no Woodsie but the guy did what he said he was going to do and that's a d@mn sight more than I can say for anyone else.

Poet: I got on Propecia in late 2000 and had good results - I f'd myself beyond belief by not taking it in 1998 when I had a decent head of transplanted hair (and even enough to cover the scars). I estimate that I lost 30% of my remaining hair during the summer of 2000, much of which was transplanted. I have no idea why I didn't get on Propecia in '98 - there isn't a day that goes by that I don't regret that decision. I have been on Avodart since January 03 and it seems to have stopped the loss and maybe even helped thicken things up a bit. No side effects that I know of.

Photomatt: I threatened to sue Bosley (via his chumps in Atlanta) and he called me personally and tried to dissuade me from coming to LA to face him man to man. He is a very charming son of a b!tch in person, not unlike the devil himself I would suppose. He promised to personally fix things if I would agree not to sue him (I was slightly intimidated as it was me in a room with L. Lee, his attorney, his business manager, and another thug of some sort). He put me up in a hotel in Bevery Hills, rented me a sports car to drive and proceeded to f'ing tear my @ss to pieces. He was taking hair way too low, from the temples, etc. Believe it or not, the repair work was fairly effective (another doctor did a hell of a job getting rid of the obvious red scar from the reductions) and I ditched the rug I had worn for 4 years and for two years (1998-99) I actually felt almost human for the first time in as long as I can remember. Now the statute of limitations is past, I signed away my right to sue him and after consulting w/ an attorney was told they could drag it out for years and my chances of winning were fairly slim. What's done is done - I have to try to make the best of what is left of my life, much easier said than done.

If there is any irony to be found in this mess of a life I lead it is that many people envy me because I "appear" normal. Let me assure you - appearances are not what they seem. I own a successful business, have done work for clients that are known the world over in the music industry, drive an exotic sports car and a nice SUV, have lots of friends, I've even been known to date a hot girl or two. Which makes it all the more pathetic that in reality I don't really have a life, I'm going on 37 and have never had a serious relationship (women think I "can't commit"), I sit home alone most weekends as I beg off the invitations to parties, to go swimming, play tennis, go camping, ride motorcycles. You name it - I've got an excuse as to why I can't do it. I do just enough to leave people wanting more when all I really want is to hang out with them and maybe feel normal, just for a day. Jeez, enough introspective psycho-babble BS, we've all got a cross to bear.

Take care, and best of luck in your own attempts to find a little solace and peace.
p.s. I am not currently considering scar reduction, mentally I just can't take any more of this crap - at least not for the forseeable future.

Edited: 09/06/2003 at 09:27 AM by Hair Loss Help Moderator

I am very sorry to hear and see what has happened to you. Things do look much better from Dr. Woods but I know you are still hurting real bad inside. I hope that people on this site give you confidence and hope as that is what we are here for. I know you really want to go out on the bike, camping.. yada You seem depressed about what has happened and that is probably normal for what you have endured. I am not diagnosing anything but a therapist or medication may help you get though this. I wish you the best man and I wouldn't rush into a scar reduction if you are not ready. Hang in there bud.

Tbone,
you are a good illustration of what I have experienced myself. I find today I look normal, yet there is this part of me that still feels like a freak, that is afraid to take off my hat and when I'm invited to a party or out to a movie I often decline when that old, what's the point, I know they think I look old, damaged, something besides normal that makes me not want to try feeling arises. I have thought long and hard about people who are truly disfigured which I cannot say that I am. What I have is nothing compared to what some people must bear. But I guess I just see so many tall, thick headed handsome chaps and I feel like this mutant. The years of feeling like sh%t take their toll and even when ostensibly repaired it can be hard to be a normal person again. I don't mean to use this term lightly but I imagine it's similar to how a woman feels who is raped. Even after it's over I'm sure she is unable to do many things for years. So you have the difficulty of losing your hair, compounded by a surgical fiasco and you have all the makings of the same emotional state.
The one thing I wish about Dr.Woods is that he'd team up with Dr.Hasson and Wong. Their skills combined could truly give men what they want going into surgery, and we could lose the "realistic expectations." Company line, as an excuse for crappy results.

Edited: 09/06/2003 at 10:13 AM by Hair Loss Help Moderator

Tbone,

You said you prepaid for a certain graft figure but then you said you received a # that was significantly less.

Did you get $ back, or is Dr. Woods holding the $ with plans to have you come back for your prepaid grafts at a later date?

---steve

Wow, dramatic improvement Tbone - don't worry, you're on the right path. Definitely not any waste of money.

One question : in your scar pic - was the uppermost strip scar stapled ? I can see a difference in it from the others.
BTW Do you live in LA now? If so, turn on your private messaging and drop me a line - we're about the same age and I also have clients in the music biz - maybe we can talk or hang out sometime as I know exactly what you mean about not having a life due to isolating yourself. I got past it and so can you!
Dean

Edited: 09/07/2003 at 09:35 AM by Hair Loss Help Moderator

T-Bone,

Crikey!!!!

Your situation so closely parallels mine that it is scary.

I am also a recipient of some of Bosley's scalp reductions( or MPR's, as they would call them).6 in total from all my different doctors!Yeah, that is absolutely correct that their "written plan" would consist of combination reductions and grafts simultaneously.

My donor area is very similiar to yours and I definitely empathize with your plight.

Fortunately, I am also making some improvement after being with Drs. Woods and Campbell back in March. The widowspeak work and the body hair planted in the crown and linear scar are coming in well.

I would like to chat with you some more. Please contact me on my email address via the glasses icon or send me a private message through the forum.

I cetainly wish you all the best.

Juiceman

I ce

HI TBONE Im so sorry that you are anyone has to go thru this,what they did to you was a crime.I know it will be of little confort to you ,but there are many out there just like you including myself.I did not even go to my own grandfathers funeral,when i think of all guys like us have missed out on,just because of some lieing butcher its heartbreaking. I know you wonder as i do everyday how you got yourself into this mess, i truely hope someone will be able to help you.but as for me i cannot go thru that again.Good luck to you,and keep us posted.

T-BONE,
Your story breaks my heart and I am so sorry for your pain.
I was fortunate I guess that my first HT was in 91 from a guy in Rhode Island Dr Leonard, who was "cutting edge" at the time. I think he was using micro grafts and didn't mess me up too bad but basically left me with a huge donor scar real low. The grafts are plugs which were repaired in 98.

Dean and Juiceman you are classy guys reaching out to Tbone!

TBONE I hope you get ahold of Dean and go nuts and have fun.

You hair looks so much better too!